Poem: Dress up, Show Up

Dress up. Show up. What I go through on a stormy day in Chennai — Nov, December. I hate going out to meetings in the rain.

Poem: Dress up, Show up.

DallE rendition of the scene

I wonder –
If it is a cloudy day
The forecast is rain
Would the sun show up?
Ah, the thunderstorms
Violent flashes in the sky
As if the clouds are at war
Their deep-throated bellows
Quiet rolling rumbles

One of them might be softer
Breakdowns and cries
The earthlings are happy a little
But they have their woes
Self-made, perfected over time
Bad roads and clogged drains

The tears of the sky now
A perfect puddle for children
An old lady curses a youth
Racing past in his bike
A wicked laugh in reply

Safe, behind the grills
Dressed up in a suit
A meeting across the town
Dressed up yet reluctant
Waiting for them to call off

I don’t have the mind
Yet I don’t have the stomach
To tell them that I can’t
Weave, waddle, and wiggle
Through the angry, wet traffic

Suffering from lack of choice
I could, but I cannot avoid
Rain or shine, I have got to
Dress up and show up.

~Ashok Subramanian © 2024

Picture by ChatGPT

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